
Shanghai Volkswagen Lavida is equipped with a 1.5L naturally aspirated engine and a 1.4L turbocharged engine, with the engine model being EA211. The 1.5L naturally aspirated engine has a maximum power of 85 kilowatts and a maximum torque of 150 Newton-meters. The Shanghai Volkswagen Lavida is a sedan produced by Shanghai Volkswagen, with body dimensions of 4670mm in length, 1806mm in width, and 1474mm in height, and a wheelbase of 2688mm. In terms of suspension, the front suspension of the Shanghai Volkswagen Lavida uses a MacPherson independent suspension, while the rear suspension uses a multi-link independent suspension.

I drive the Lavida 1.5L model, and its all-aluminum engine is particularly lightweight. My mechanic relative mentioned it's called the EA211-DMB model. In the city, the fuel consumption is around 6 liters per 100km. The throttle isn't very aggressive but quite smooth. Once, I used 92-octane fuel and the yellow warning light came on. Later, I found out the manual recommends 95-octane fuel. Now that I use 95, it's actually more fuel-efficient. The engine compartment layout is extremely compact—last week, I struggled to reach the innermost clip when changing the air filter myself. The older 1.6L model was cheaper to maintain, while the new 1.5L with cylinder deactivation technology has slightly higher maintenance costs, but the start-stop system is much quieter.

My uncle has worked at a 4S dealership for ten years. He says the Lavida currently focuses on two main models: the 1.5L naturally aspirated and the 1.4T turbocharged. The new 1.5L engine integrates the exhaust manifold into the cylinder head, which significantly speeds up warm-up in winter. The 1.4T 280TSI model features early turbo engagement, delivering 250 Nm of torque at just 1500 rpm. However, it's important to note that the 1.4T requires 0W-20 engine oil—a customer previously used 5W-40 incorrectly, leading to oil seal leakage. Both engines come with aluminum alloy cylinder blocks, but during repairs, it was observed that the crankshaft pulley area is particularly prone to rust.

Just returned from the Lavida technical training. The entire lineup has now been upgraded to the EA211 EVO engine. The 1.5L version features APS cylinder wall coating, reducing piston ring friction by 60% - truly impressive. Although the 1.2T variant is only available in the classic edition, its oil line routing shares the exact same design as the 1.4T model. Most notably, the new intake pipe is hidden within the firewall interlayer, saving about half a fist's worth of space. However, during maintenance we noticed the coolant tee connector has been changed to plastic parts, which are prone to aging and leakage with long-term use.

Having repaired hundreds of Lavida engines, here are my insights: The older CFN model with a 1.6L cast iron block is exceptionally durable, but it has mostly been replaced by the all-aluminum 1.5L now. The current model's fuel injection pressure has been increased to 350bar, and the atomization effect is visibly improved. Note that the belt tensioner position has been moved to the rear of the engine—what used to take ten minutes to replace now requires disassembling half the car. The common issue of the crankshaft ventilation valve failing persists even in the 2023 model, so it's advisable to check it every 30,000 kilometers.


